new year. new things. new direction.

Hello!! And happy almost New Year!!!

If you have followed me this far in blogging you will have noticed a slight change in how things are being done around here over the last few months. Sadly, some months ago I learned that my children were being visited here by people I don't really want "visiting" them at all, blog or not. That put a sour taste in my mouth and I tried to carry on but over time, this blog has become more crafty and baking and less about my boys growing up. And it's taken me this long to be OK with that. Because it will be the last thing taken from me by those "people". And to be clear, there are no bad intentions as far as I am aware of with the "visits" I just strongly feel, now more than ever, that my kids are no longer business for this blog. The boys won't disappear from here all together, I will just be less generous with posting about them. Thankfully, I still have IG, where I can monitor who comes and goes a little better. Things grow and change, and while this blog started as a way of documenting my boys and their growth, it's slowly outgrown that task anyway, so change is good!

My goal for the new year and this blog is simple 1:1. 1 recipe and 1 crafty tutorial per week. Plus my randoms Jesus moments mixed in. It will be nice to have a little structure here don't you think? I'd love to hear any ideas and thoughts about what kind of crafty ideas you would like to see explored. What do you want to learn? Try? Experiment with? I would love to hear from you and have your help in propelling this blog into 2014, making it the best year EVER!

Another aspect of my life: the hoho! You can read all about them on their own special tab above. I've set myself up this year for {what I am hoping} will be much less crazy making and stressless. You see, I love to make you happy. I love to make as many hohos for as many of you as possible. I love to hear the stories of how hohos have made you happy and to see how far the hohos will travel, all over the world! But the last few months I let my "waiting list" get away from me. That caused a serious imbalance in my life and stressed me right out!

I didn't intend for that to happen, I had good intentions but I got myself in a hot mess. I've spent the last couple of weeks trying to recover, and pray about going forward. From here on out my waiting list will only be open for the number of working days in the month. And that will be it. I may revise that once both boys are in school all day in the fall. I have a few other plans of action that I won't bore you with but my hope is for a happier hoho maker with MORE to give in 2014 and not less. {including lots of giveaways!}

And in the hoho department, I'd love to hear what you would like to see? Any amazing hoho ideas you would like to see me bring to life? I'd love to hear those too!

So there is that. A little peek in the madness of my thinking. Be sure to find the hohos on IG at @littlebitfunkyhohos and use the hash tag #lbfhohos when sharing photos of your hoho adventures!

Thank you for posting this! I have often wondered about what I share about my own children when blogging....this gives me something to seriously think about. On a side note I Love following your blog and Instagram! You are such a good mama and a huge inspiration/encouragement!! Blessings to you and your family!

Thank you for posting this! I have often wondered about what I share about my own children when blogging....this gives me something to seriously think about. On a side note I Love following your blog and Instagram! You are such a good mama and a huge inspiration/encouragement!! Blessings to you and your family!

You're awesome. And I'm happy you are not letting anyone take that away from you. New is good and blog structure by way of 1:1 will help relieve stress and juggling. You.are.on.it ;) looking forward to following along in 2014.

(P.s. how about Christmas in July with Reindeer HoHo's? They are just too adorable to wait til December!)

I understand exactly what u mean by visitors you don't want. We had a similar issue and stopped posting about our kids altogether for about a year.,I just recently starting sharing tiny pics of them here and there. Excited to follow along on IG and on your blog. You encourage and inspire me DAILY. I mean that. You are such an amazing sister in Christ to walk with!

Hi, Crystal! I am a total stranger to you but have been following your blog (and now on IG) since Moses was a baby. :) I don't even know how I found you but I've always enjoyed reading what you have to say, looking at the pics of your awesomely decorated home, and seeing all the wonderful crafty ideas you come up with. Anyhow, I just wanted to ask if you would consider sharing where you find (or how you make) all the awesome elf props--like the little chairs and toilet--is it a Barbie toilet?--and the bow and arrow--especially the bow, I think I may have the arrows figured out! I have a 9 yr old daughter and a 6 yr old son and they are blessed with more toys than you can shake a stick at, but I just can't see those little items in their toy collections! Basically, I want my kids to think I'm as awesome as I'm sure your kids think you are! I hope you have a very Happy New Year and look forward to seeing what you have up your sleeve in 2014! :)

I may (or may not) know what you are talking about regarding visitors and based on some past info, I don't blame you. I was starting to get visitors who started feeling an entitlement to pics and blogging went from fun to obligation, so I stopped. It is also creepy knowing certain visitors are watching and making up their own stories in their head because communication is minimal. Maybe I was/am selfish, but I think I get you and really you have many many more good reasons.

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